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Soult's Retail View

Archived blog posts (2009 to 2018) about shops on the high street and online, by North East-based retail consultant Graham Soult

Not surprisingly, Retail Week ranks highly for influence... but how high? Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Brands / Marketing / Personal / Social Media

October 7, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published October 7, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

The Lissted UK Retail Top 100: Britain’s most influential retail Twitter accounts

Background Back in April, Newcastle-based influence analysis platform Lissted prompted quite a lot of reaction when it published its list of the 250 most influential...

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Digital Argos store in Tottenham Court Road, London (12 Sep 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Mobile Commerce / Online / Technology

August 21, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published August 21, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Ian Jindal Q&A: “Customers see mobile as the remote control for the brands they trust”

Those of us who like attending retail and digital-related conferences certainly never have any shortage of potential events to attend. My own excursions are limited a touch...

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One of the slides from my talk 0

Marketing / Personal / Social Media

July 8, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 8, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Taking the peril out of online marketing: download my slides from last week’s talk in Stockton

It was a pleasure to speak at Enterprise Made Simple’s Flippin’ Good Networking event in Stockton last week, sharing my online marketing tips – on web...

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Back wall in Pep&Co, Kettering (25 Jun 2015). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Fashion Stores / Interiors / Property

July 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 1, 2015 · Last modified March 21, 2017

Pep&Co first look: checking out the store and its offer as the Kettering branch opens its doors

Last month I wrote about the impending arrival of new value fashion and homewares chain Pep&Co – and its first store, in Kettering, has now...

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Georgia Jones wearing Rosie Willett's hair vine 1

Fashion Accessories / Retailer Q&A

July 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published July 1, 2015 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Retailer Q&A with Rosie Willett Designs: “Ecommerce is fantastic for reaching people all over the world”

Talking to retailers – as I spend much of my time doing – it’s interesting how many businesses have embraced Facebook and its Pages functionality, but...

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Holding page of Pep&Co website 1

Fashion Stores / Property / Shopping Centres

June 4, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published June 4, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Middlesbrough among the first locations for new value fashion chain Pep&Co

Few consumers will have heard of it yet – for one thing, there’s no Twitter or Facebook presence that I can see – but new value...

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Woolworths.co.uk with closure countdown (1 Jun 2015) 0

Brands / Woolworths

June 1, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published June 1, 2015 · Last modified April 23, 2017

As Shop Direct closes Woolworths online, is a high-street return now more likely than ever?

The news that Shop Direct is to shut its Woolworths online store, following its acquisition of the brand back in 2009, is not especially a surprise.

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Amber Arch website 1

Retail Supplier Q&A

May 6, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published May 6, 2015

Retail supplier Q&A with Amber Arch mystery shopping: “Market trends do change”

In my line of work as a retail consultant (as always, you can read more about my business, CannyInsights.com, here), I regularly find myself heading into...

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Fascia of 'Not Woolworths' in Coatbridge (4 Dec 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Personal / Social Media / Woolworths

April 28, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published April 28, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Woolworths: How speculation about its “return to the high street” all began with a dodgy April Fool

If you’ve read the news headlines over the last couple of days, you could be forgiven for thinking that Woolworths is about to come back...

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Tesco Express, Whitley Bay (11 Apr 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult 7

Property / Supermarkets

January 28, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published January 28, 2015 · Last modified April 28, 2015

Tesco store closure list revealed: three North East shops to go

Tesco has today revealed the list of 43 stores that it intends to close – with three North East branches among their number. Eighteen of...

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Bang Tidy Clothing homepage 1

Fashion Stores / Online / Retailer Q&A

January 26, 2015

 by Graham Soult · Published January 26, 2015 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Retailer Q&A with Bang Tidy Clothing: “We have so many opportunities right now”

I’ve written before about independent online businesses – like fashion accessories store Tesoros – that have managed to carve a great niche for themselves in...

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Former Mecca club in Wallsend - soon to be a Wetherspoon pub (21 Jun 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Online / Property / Regeneration / Technology

December 16, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published December 16, 2014

Exploring bingo’s place on the high street – and the online challenges that parallel retail

If you follow my blogs and tweets religiously, you’ll know that I spend a fair chunk of my time travelling up and down the country,...

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Exposed George Rye ghost fascia in Newcastle's Groat Market (10 Aug 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Retail History

August 10, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published August 10, 2014 · Last modified February 26, 2017

George Rye: a little bit of Newcastle retail history uncovered again, five years after the last time

Long-time readers of Soult’s Retail View may recall my blog post from August 2009, where I wrote about part of the William Hill fascia at...

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1960s postcard of Morpeth Woolworths 0

Retail History / Woolworths

July 31, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published July 31, 2014 · Last modified January 16, 2017

A brief history of Morpeth Woolworths

As you’d probably expect, I get my fair share of Woolworths-related enquiries, given that I’ve written (and talked) so much about the retailer’s long and...

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Soon-to-be Poundland in St George's Way (19 May 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Property / Shopping Centres / Variety Stores

May 21, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published May 21, 2014 · Last modified July 30, 2014

Poundland to take Eldon Square spot next to Waitrose

If you’ve passed through the St George’s Way mall of Newcastle’s Eldon Square in the last few days, you’ll have noticed new hoardings around the three...

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Interior of Leisure Lakes Bikes Daventry flagship 0

Independent Stores / Retailer Q&A / Specialist Retailers

April 28, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published April 28, 2014 · Last modified August 12, 2014

A business built on “staff knowledge and passion”: Q&A with Leisure Lakes Bikes

One of the most interesting things to emerge from my regular Retailer Q&A features is a sense of how different, longstanding independents are navigating the increasingly multichannel...

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Some of Tesoros' cufflinks 1

Fashion Accessories / Independent Stores / Online / Retailer Q&A / Specialist Retailers

April 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published April 11, 2014 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Selling “treasures” online in the fast-growing fashion accessories space: Q&A with Tesoros

With my CannySites.com business traditionally focusing upon stores in the home, garden and holidays space, it’s fair to say that fashion probably hasn’t been my...

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Site of Poundland, Trinity Square, Gateshead (2 March 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult 5

Property / Shopping Centres / Variety Stores / Woolworths

March 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 11, 2014 · Last modified July 30, 2014

New Gateshead Poundland to open on 29 March – with existing store retained for now

One of the eight new Poundland stores scheduled to open by the end of March is the long-awaited branch at Gateshead’s Trinity Square development, which Poundland’s...

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Poundland (former Woolworths), Argyle Street, Glasgow (20 Nov 2012). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Online / Retail Parks / Variety Stores / Woolworths

March 11, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 11, 2014 · Last modified August 26, 2017

As Poundland prepares to float, what are the secrets of “the new Woolies'” success?

As Poundland gets ready to float on the London Stock Exchange this week, in a move expected to value the business at £750m – similar in...

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Closed Moffees at Trinity Square, Gateshead (2 March 2014) 1

Property / Regeneration / Shopping Centres

March 2, 2014

 by Graham Soult · Published March 2, 2014 · Last modified March 3, 2014

Nine months in, Gateshead’s Trinity Square hits footfall high and eyes 100% occupancy

When Gateshead’s Trinity Square opened its doors in May last year, you could have been forgiven for being a little underwhelmed by the extent of...

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@soult

Woolworths… from the archives

  • Whitley Bay’s “upward trend in retail shopping”

    November 20, 2009

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cannyinsights

Next has opened its new Newcastle city centre flag Next has opened its new Newcastle city centre flagship in Eldon Square's ex-Debenhams this morning, So what can shoppers expect?...

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/07/15/new-store-review-nexts-eldon-square-flagship-which-has-opened-in-newcastle-today/
It was a privilege to be a High Streets Task Force It was a privilege to be a High Streets Task Force Expert during its five-year existence - and its findings have now been published....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/high-streets-task-force-findings-provide-blueprint-for-successful-high-street-regeneration/
Last week it was a real pleasure to attend the off Last week it was a real pleasure to attend the official launch event of Two Tales, Seven Stories' new Durham pop-up at Prince Bishops Place....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/seven-stories-pop-up-makes-the-high-street-a-place-of-joy-and-opportunity-for-durham-children/
As a presumably well-intentioned but unhelpful new As a presumably well-intentioned but unhelpful new report on "Ghost Towns" is published today, it's time to stop feeding this narrative....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/you-want-healthier-high-streets-then-maybe-think-twice-before-publishing-a-report-about-ghost-towns/
Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but p Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but putting the name up there undoubtedly makes it more real....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/04/29/gateshead-railway-quarter-how-to-improve-your-town-by-starting-with-what-is-already-good/
An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Th An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Thank you to Spalding & District Civic Society for the kind invitation to speak, and to the large and engaged audience for a great many pertinent questions during the Q&A afterwards 💬

Their obvious passion for the town demonstrated the power of what can be achieved by harnessing that enthusiasm and working together to make a difference. 

One woman told me afterwards "You expressed everything that I feel about #Spalding", which is always one of the best compliments I can hope for 💪☺️

#highstreet #highstreets #evolvingnotdying #lincolnshire
Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynot Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynote and motivational speakers in business, politics, economy and management....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/26/graham-soult-now-featured-alongside-famous-names-at-at-specialist-speakers-speaker-bureau/
This page details retail units currently available This page details retail units currently available to let in Durham city centre. As Retail Cupid, we help match empty shops with new tenants....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/13/march-2025-retail-cupid-update-current-retail-property-to-let-in-durham-city-centre/

About this blog

Soult's Retail View is a blog by me, Graham Soult, taking a wide-ranging look at the UK retail industry. I'm a retail consultant based in Gateshead - and the person behind CannyInsights.com and CannySites.com - so my posts often (but not always) have a North East flavour. [read more]

Shopping Directories

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Categories

Archive

Retail property… from the archives

  • Lincolnshire Co-op website (30 Jan 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Now Lincolnshire Co-op is to exit non-food – but a “bright future” under new ownership is promised

    January 30, 2013

  • Former Zavvi, Newcastle (27 Sep 2009). Photograph by Graham Soult

    A Woolies twist to every story

    February 14, 2010

  • Hoardings outside Metrocentre Lego Store site (6 Nov 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Exclusive: Lego Store set for 29 November opening at Intu Metrocentre

    November 15, 2013

In the News

In December 2009, global media intelligence company Cision ranked Soult’s Retail View at #2 in its list of the UK’s top ten retail blogs.

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